Malfoy Manor
by shadowsofthelight369
Summary: A different way that the scene at Malfoy Manor (in book 7) could have gone. If only a few things had happened differently, an entirely different series of events would have happened. Just a short segment of the entire AU story. Two parts.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Quick little Oneshot type story. 2 Parts and the second part will either be posted tomorrow or tonight. Hope you enjoy, it's just my take on how the scene at Malfoy Manor could have gone, with a few extras thrown in (Fred)! Hope you enjoy! Please Read and Review! :)**

As he walked, his boots hit the white marble floor with purpose, leaving a resounding clack to echo the cold halls. He was in a hurry. He had been summoned, for the first time in a long time, in the middle of the night. He was one of the Inner Circle, for the first time in his life, one of the elite, and was rarely called in the night without warning.

Regardless of the time, he was fully dressed and wide awake. If his Master wanted him there, at Malfoy Manor, then that was he would be. Happily, for his Master and his noble cause.

He had reached the dining room, where the meetings were generally held. He was breathless with anticipation, electrified adrenaline coursing through his blood, eager for what he hoped the night would bring: death.

He opened the closed doors, an expressionless mask on his face, hiding his joy. His brother was there, kneeling on the floor, much to Fred's joy, and perhaps just a dash of uncertainty. His goal, and that of all the other Death Eaters, had been finding him, and his two friends and co conspirators - Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. It was all about them, they were the key to the war. For better or for worse. It was about time that they were caught and put to justice. Assuming that it _was them._

The one that was presumably Potter, looked distorted, unlike Harry himself, and not even a pair of glasses on his nose. Still though, the prospect of Harry Potter was enough to give Fred a twisted smile of joy.

In the room, around the three, were the two Malfoys, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Fenrir Greyback. In Fred's opinion, the other lowly people, likely Snatchers, weren't worth mentioning.

"Fred". Draco stood up, a relaxed expression on his face, he had been squatting in front of the prisoners. His posture was relaxed, if his stance was tense. Fred narrowed his eyes vaguely, wondering what this meant, but he shoved his suspicions aside, now was not the time to doubt loyalties.

"Draco. Is it really them?" despite how excited he was, his voice was calm.

Draco shrugged, turning his back and walking to the other side of the room carelessly. He didn't respond. Fred glared at him before turning to Bellatrix who was still examining the prisoners.

"Is it them?"

She turned away from Hermione, and looked at him through heavily lidded eyes, "You tell me".

He approached cautiously, almost afraid that he would see the eyes of Harry Potter staring back at him. While Fred was a loyal Death Eater, he didn't want his family, filthy blood traitors as they were, to die. If it was Potter, that would mean that it was Ron. He couldn't care less about Granger or Potter.

He looked down at his face, studying it carefully. Moments ticked by, the occupants of the room had fallen silent full of nervous energy.

The eyes. The infamous eyes. They were definately those of Harry Potter. Snape would know.

He stood up smoothing his crisp robes. His shoulders high, and eyes piercing, he looked to Bellatrix, the authority of the room, "I can't be sure. I think that they are his eyes. We should call Snape". Bellatrix eyed him, but he knew that she would take his advice, he had proven himself to be trustworthy to the cause. Moments later, Bellatrix had her wand out, and was pointing it at her left arm. As a high up death eater, she like all in the Inner circle could call other death eaters, as well as the Lord, which all with a mark could do. As the most respected death eater in the room, Lucius had lost his authority when he lost his wand, Bellatrix was solely given this honor.

The minutes waiting for Snape to arrive were spent torturing the mudblood.

Bellatrix had immediately, after calling for Snape, cut her free from the others, saying that they could do something productive while waiting for him.

She was currently laying on her back, screaming and sobbing.

Fred stood next to Draco, watching him. Draco had never been cut out for the heavier parts of being a death eater. Sometimes Fred envied him his innocence and inexperience. As one of the Inner circle, Fred had gladly done worse things, many times over, than what Bellatrix was doing to Hermione. Sometimes, in the deepest darks of his mind, Fred wondered what his life would be if he had chosen differently. The light instead of the dark.

While Hermione screamed and writhed, feeling the wrath of Bellatrix's knife in her arm, the Snatchers and Greyback were holding the other two prisoners back. As Snape would be there soon, to identify them, Bellatrix had decided that the would be best left out. Fred was sure that she had decided it mostly because she wanted them to see Granger in pain.

Ron and Potter, if that was who he was, were putting up quite a fight. The Snatchers had wanted to simply stun them, but Bellatrix had screamed at them not to. So they struggled on.

Fred stalked forward, out of sympathy for Draco, and surprised. He approached the Snatchers. He had noticed that one of them was holding a bag earlier, but had discarded it from his mind, thinking it of no consequence. Now, in the attempts to keep the two prisoners at bay, the Snatcher had dropped the bag, and one of its contents had come spilling out. It was the Sword of Gryffindor.

Fred knew for a fact that it was in the Lestrange's vault. How a lowly Snatcher had gotten his hands on it, was beyond Fred, but he was going to find out. He stalked over to the snatcher, and pulled out his wand. Without even muttering an incantation, rope bounds flew out of his wand and bound themselves to both Harry and Ron. They fell to the ground next to each other, unable to do anything but thrash helplessly at their feet. Fred walked forward, ignoring the prisoners, until he was toe to toe with the snatcher, who had, by now, reclaimed his bag.

"I happened to notice something interesting in that bag of yours, mind pulling it out", his voice was soft, laden with unspoken threat. The Snatcher looked terrified, but stared at him definitely, not moving back despite their close proximity.

Behind Fred, Snape walked into the room. Billowing black robes made him seem even paler than usual, but when he saw the prisoners, all three of them, he seemed to get even paler still. Bellatrix, upon hearing his footsteps, stood up to greet him. She threw the knife carelessly to the side, looking disgusted at the ruby blood dripping off it. Snape nodded to acknowledge her presence, but his eyes remained on the two boys, thrashing on the ground, Harry in particular. It was only his mastery of Occlumency that allowed him to keep an uninterested look on his face. He raised an eyebrow at the sobbing, bloody mass on the floor that was Hermione. He took a step towards her, but seemed to catch himself, and redirected his attentions to Bellatrix.

"You called", he raised an eyebrow, silently asking for an explanation.

She let out a puff of air, blowing the stay hairs out of her eyes, "and you took your time". Her words were dangerous, but her voice lazy.

His face didn't change, "I don't come at your beck and call, Bella".

"Yet here you are".

He looked past her, tempted to roll his eyes, and looked at the still struggling prisoners.

"Is that who I think it is"?

She jerked her head behind her, still facing him, gesturing for him to look. He swept past her, inches away from hitting her shoulder with his. She stared at the spot that he had been moments ago, head cocked to the side, before whirling around to face him and the others. She noticed the altercation with Fred and the Snatcher and walked leisurely over to them.

"What do we have here" Bellatrix drawled, in a comparable manner to that of her brother in law.

Fred let go of the Snatchers robes, he had grabbed them violently and pressed his wand to the neck of the Snatcher when he refused to do more than pull the sword partially out of the bag.

Bellatrix, her eyes fixated on what little of the sword was revealed above the rim of the bag, stalked forward, shoving roughly past Fred and in front of the Snatcher. The Snatcher, knowing that his time was up unless he acted, quickly pulled the rest of the sword out, handle first, and handed it to Bellatrix, with a pathetic slight bow. When she took it he scrambled back, hoping that she would leave him alone now. Unfortunately for him, she did not.

She took large strides back to him, holding the sword at her side in a maniac fashion, "Where did you get this" her voice was deadly soft, showing the true face of her insanity. When he didn't reply, probably frozen with fear, Bellatrix leaned forward, getting even more in his face that she had been previously. This time she was yelling, "I will ask you again, where did you get this sword!"

He stuttered a reply, "It was in the tent with 'em" he gestured wildly at the prisoners, a thick accent making his words almost indistinguishable.

She twirled around, robes swishing in her wake, and stomped over to Hermione who was still on the ground, but had stopped sobbing. She flinched away from Bellatrix's feet, and then her face when Bellatrix got on her hands next to her.

"Where did you get the sword of Godric Gryffindor"?

Snape, on the other side of the room, had been paying vague attention, mostly focused on examining Potter and the youngest Weasley male, and after determining it was them, what he should do. When he heard Bellatrix's words about the Sword of Gryffindor, he rocketed to his feet, warning bells going off in his head.

He had just given, in secret, the sword the Potter, and now it was back in the Dark's hands. If the Dark Lord got whiff of this, he would be dead, and, worst of all, the Dark Lord would know that Harry was looking for Horcruxes. That would not be allowed.

Under Bellatrix, Hermione screamed. Weasley's and Potter's efforts to get out were increasing, and one of the Snatchers kicked one of them. Snape turned around and glared at the Snatcher, making him back up quickly, looking confused but afraid. Snape's mind was racing.

 **Part 2/2 later!**

 **R/R**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N thank you so much to the people who have reviewed this story, your feedback is much appreciated. The second part jumps right in from part 1, reread the ending of part 1 if needed. Please review, and enjoy the ending!**

With Granger's life, and possible the future of the Wizarding World and the fate of the war on his back, Snape walked calmly as he could to where Bellatrix and the Malfoys were huddled over the screaming body of Granger. He felt pity for Granger, really he did, he didn't want to see her tortured like this, but he had, sadly, become accustomed to _this_ during the war. _This_ being, seeing people that he knew tortured and killed, and himself being unable to do anything about it, except to make sure that the bodies were found.

He had just heard Bellatrix mention the Sword of Gryffindor, something that he was responsible for putting in the hands of the Golden Trio.

Bellatrix must have heard his footsteps, because she stood up, a look of forced calm on her face. She savagely kicked Hermione in the ribs, receiving a groan of response from her. She had long past the stage of screaming.

"Want to take a turn?" her voice, though soft, told him that he should nod. He nodded, thinking quickly. He had already formed a vague plan in his head, and was glad that Potter and the younger Weasley were no longer in the spotlight. He would have to break cover, that, he figured, was okay, the war was, it seemed, for better or for worse, almost over.

He bent down, and grabbed Granger by the shoulder, supporting her weight, he did his best to be gently, but he still heard her groan and whimper. He carried her over to the other two prisoners with ease. He set her down without trouble, only feet away from Potter and Ronald.

He looked back at the other Death Eaters, knowing that they would require an explanation. He smirked, and looking at Bella said, "I didn't think that the other two were getting a good enough view". While the others laughed, distracted, he fell to his knees, between the bound prisoners and Granger, and pulled out his wand. He, with his back to Potter and Ronald, grabbed one of their shoulders. He muttered a complicated charm, that Dumbledore had taught him, that would allow him to disapparate, despite the protections over Malfoy Manor, and also allow him to apparate anywhere he chose. He grabbed Hermione by the shoulder, and after a quick glance to make sure that no one had cottoned on yet, caught Draco's eye.

He momentarily lifted his hand from Hermione's shoulder, and accioed the sword of Gryffindor and the beaded bag, thinking it was important, to him. It flew out of Bella's tight grasp and into his hand. He put his hand mostly back on Hermione, still holding the sword, and the bag that it was in, as well as his wand in that hand. Hermione, by now was unconscious, oblivious to the world.

To Draco he winked, hopefully unnoticed, and disapparated away, all three prisoners with him.

He, having given no forethought as to where he would dissaperate, simply thought of the first place that death eaters couldn't, hopefully, get into. Which was the Order's Headquarters.

After Grimmauld place was in use, Dumbledore had set up another, similar house, that would serve as headquarters if something happened to Grimmauld. Insuring that the Order would always have somewhere safe to go. Dumbledore had died before it was utilized, the secret of it had died with him. Until, only weeks ago, Snape had discovered some papers of Dumbledore's, full of knowledge, and had tracked it down.

No one, on either side, to the best of Snape's knowledge, knew about it.

They reappeared with a resounding crack, in the front room, just inside of the main entrance door. The house was isolated, in the middle of a forest somewhere. No one would bother them, or even suspect that they were there.

Ron and Harry, still bound together, struggled even harder to get lose from the ropes. It was in vain though, and Snape flicked his wand at them, causing the ropes to fall away. Immediately, the two stood and rushed past Snape, successful in ignoring him, and ran to Hermione's side. She had fallen unconscious earlier and was still so.

At her side, her two friends quickly examined the wound on her arm. Bellatrix had sadistically carved 'Mudblood' into her arm in scrawles of letters. It was bleeding profusely, but other than that she seemed unharmed. It was clear that she had lost a lot of blood, and would need, at the very least, a blood replenishing potion.

Snape sighed and stood up straighter, looking around. He had only bothered to come to the lone house once or twice, mainly to set up protections. The more visits, the more likely that Voldemort would see it in his mind and snatch the knowledge up, making the house useless. Not to mention that he would be dead before he could explain, or make up a story.

If memory serves well, then Snape knew that there were bedrooms upstairs, as well as an attic, a basement, a large kitchen and the living room. The living room and kitchen were down that hall, and the stairs, both up and down, were to the left, branching off the living room.

With quick, decisive steps, he marched into the kitchen, hoping that he had stored potions here. A quick look in the cupboards told him that he had both basic potions and ingredients, as well as food.

Quickly taking what he had long ago supplied, he gathered a few bottles into his arm, glad that he had thought ahead and put them there. With them in his arms, he made his way a back to the front room. Potter and Weasley had gathered around her, holding the beaded bag between them. Out of it, somehow they had produced wands, three of them, and a few, mediocre at best, healing potions. Her arm, while not much better, had stopped bleeding heavily. The blood was reduced to only a small trickle down her arm.

Snape had to refrain from rolling his eyes, how they had survived this long with their healing skills, was beyond him, but then, he supposed Granger always had been the brains of the group, she probably could have healed herself.

Assuming that the wound wasn't cursed.

Snape grimaced, knowing Bellatrix, the wound would have been cursed. They would all be lucky if he could heal it with the megar potions he had. He didn't envy Granger.

Sighing impatiently, he shoved the blood replenishing potion into Ronald's hands, and when he looked at him like Snape had gone insane, Snape impatiently gestured to her head, already focusing on her arm. Potter, to Snape's relief, moved away, allowing him to get closer to her arm. He unstoppered one of the bottles, and gently began to pour it over her arm. He was glad that she was still unconscious, the potion would hurt.

When she began to thrash and moan, he stopped and looked up at the other two conscious people in the room.

"You two, hold her down, this is going to hurt her, but it will close the wound" he grimaced, but was relieved to see that Weasley had given her the potion. He looked back to the potions that he had, no pain killer, damn.

Potter and Weasley exchanged looks, that he knew they didn't think he saw, but he did, and rolled his eyes. Moments later, Granger was held down, by Potter and Weasley, and Snape poured the rest of the potion down her arm, trying to get it over with. She screamed, eyes flying open, and she sat up, Potter and Weasley let her, and the wound closed, leaving the letters in jagged script, barley a pink, but still noticeable against her pale skin.

Snape sat back, and stood up, watching as the two boys helped her to her feet, and over to the dusty sofa. Snape moved to the kitchen and put his unused potions back. When he entered the room, Potter was leaning against the wall looking at him, while Granger and Weasley snuggled on the couch. Hermione was crying into his shoulder, and he was muttering into her hair. It looked like he might be crying a few tears himself. With a pang, Snape remembered that these were _kids,_ who were innocent and unaccustomed to the casualties of war.

Snape returned his gaze to Potter, realising that now was the time that he would carry on Dumbledore's message.

"Why did you do that" Potter's voice was cold, measured.

"Do what", Snape was playing dumb, hoping to see what Potter was thinking.

"Get us out of Malfoy Manor, and help Hermione"

Snape sighed heavily, and moved past Potter into the sitting room, sitting down in the chair farthest from everyone else, and closest to the door.

"I suppose that you think I owe you an explanation", Snape commented, staring at Potter who had sat down a few feet from Granger and Weasley.

"Yes" again it was Potter who had replied, Snape figured that he spoke for the group.

"Well, think again Potter, I don't owe you anything"

Potter shot him an angry look, and got to his feet, hand itching to his pocket, where Snape figured he had a wand.

Before Potter could pull out his wand, Granger sat up, wiping tears from under her eyes and cheeks, with the heel of her palm. Weasley, even as she did this, wrapped his arm around her protectively, not so subtly glaring at him.

"Um, Professor, I- we, were under the impression that you had killed Professor Dumbledore-"

He interrupted her before she could go on, "Yes, I did"

Potter had leaped up at his admission, despite that he had calmed down when Granger spoke, and pointed his wand at him. Calmly, not missing a beat, Snape disarmed him, and before anyone could do anything, tossed Potter's wand to Granger, who caught it. "Clearly, Granger is the only one thinking clearly right now, she can be trusted with a wand, unlike you Potter" his voice was biting, and Harry glowered at him.

Hermione floundered for a moment, before narrowing her eyes and continuing, Harry's wand in her grasp, "Under the orders of whom"?

Snape answered, impressed that she had caught on and asked the right question, "Why, Dumbledore's of course".

The room was deadly quiet for moments, before both Potter and Weasley jumped to their feet and started yelling at him. Snape, annoyed, but not surprised, flicked his wand and silenced both of them, before returning his attention to Granger.

"If you would recall, Granger, Dumbledore's hand was black and decayed" she nodded and he continued, both Potter and Weasley were listening now, "he had touched a cursed _ring_ I think you know which one Potter" he continued, taking in Potter's look of surprise, "well, that curse was slowly killing him".

He held the entire room's attention, "Draco Malfoy was, early into his summer between your fifth and sixth year, assigned by the Dark Lord, as a death eater, to kill Albus Dumbledore. The Dark Lord never expected him to succeed, it was slow torture for his parents" everyone but Hermione looked somewhat confused. She was keeping up with the story, hanging on his every word, "Dumbledore, noble as he was, didn't want Draco killed- or worse, and he was dying already. The plan was that I would kill him, securing Draco's safety, as well as my position in _his_ ranks. Where I would continue to help the light, from within the Dark itself".

He let his words hang in the air for a moment, before swishing his wand, and allowing Potter and Weasley to talk again. Unsurprisingly, they kept silent. Potter looked deep in though, and Weasley was looking at Hermione again. Hermione was staring at him, though Snape was confident that there was no emotion on his face.

Finally Potter spoke, "How can we know that you aren't lying, and this is all an elaborate plot of Voldemort's".

Snape stared at him, incredulous, "Yes, Potter, you got me, this is _all an elaborate plot of Voldemort's._ What gave it away? Was it the part where we could have killed you, or the part where I helped you _leave_ ", his voice was heavy with sarcasm, and Potter at least looked embarrassed, and sat back down.

"Or was it the part where I gave you the Sword," he had whispered, but he suspected that Granger had heard him, based on the look that she was giving him.

"Will Hermione be okay", it was Weasley who had broken the short silence.

Snape sighed heavily before responding, "Yes, but she will have the scar, I don't know if it will ever fade". It was quiet in the room. Hermione, if this affected her, didn't show it. Weasley and Potter, on the other hand, both looked sad and guilty staring at the sleeve that covered the arm.

Hermione ignored them and opened her mouth, ever seeking knowledge, "Where are we".

"In one of the Orders HeadQuarters. Dumbledore built it and it was never used, instead Grimmauld Place was. It has all the nessesary protections on it. No one can get it". Everyone nodded.

"Potter I need to talk to you. In private". Snape got to his feet, and Harry looking startled and uncertain, got to his feet.

Snape lead them into the kitchen, glad that Granger and Weasley had stayed behind. He figured that after almost being killed, and Hermione tortured, their senses had been dulled. Otherwise, they never would have let Potter walk into an abandoned room, with someone who, until only hours ago, to them, had been a Death Eater. Harry would never had done it either.

"Potter, you are a horcrux"

Harry stared at him, and Snape regretted saying it so boldly. No turning back now.

"On the night that your mother gave her life for you" double edged words, "the Dark Lord split his soul again, after her death, on accident. Because he had, so to speak, 'died' the detached part of soul attached itself to the only living thing. You". His voice was regretful, and he couldn't meet Potter's eyes.

Potter didn't say anything, perhaps out of shock, so he continued, "There is a reason that you can talk to snakes, a reason why you can see into the Dark Lord's head, a reason that Occlumency is useless to you against the Dark Lord".

There was a short silence, before Harry spoke, emotion in his eyes and an emotionless voice, "So I have to die".

Snape bowed his head, no answer needed.

Potter left the room, and distantly Snape heard him tell Granger and Weasley that they were leaving, that they still had Horcruxes left, Voldemort to kill, and an ending to come, and minutes later, the door clicked open, and clicked shut. Silence reigned in the house, only one still in it.

 **Hope you enjoyed! Please Review, and thank you to those who have already, please feel free to give me your final thoughts on it! Thank you all!**


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